30^th January 2016, Runcorn Linnets FC v Nelson : 1-0

Antony Hickey struck the decisive goal way into stoppage time on Saturday as Runcorn dug deep for victory at a bright but chilly Millbank Linnets Stadium, writes STE BIGNALL.

The visitors have struggled by their standards this season but since former Linnets striker Paul Fildes took charge late last year, they have improved and arrived having not lost in four games.

Skipper Michael Ellison returned to the side in place of Mark Houghton and Tom Hardwick took up the left-back role with Matty Atherton injured. Freddie Potter was also unavailable again, following a tweak of his recent back injury.

Both sides started very slowly and sluggishly, the closest Linnets came in the opening stages was from a sliced clearance that just didn't quite fall for Hickey, who had been ready to pounce.

Nelson soon went on the offensive and it took an excellent save at full stretch by Dean Porter to keep them out. Midway through the first half, Kurt Sherlock received one of what was to be many very heavy challenges that required a good deal of treatment to enable him to continue.

Nelson went closer as half-time approached when they counter attached up the right and swung in a pinpoint cross for the onrushing attacker to get his head to. The ball crashed down off the bar and thankfully Mike White was on hand to clear from the feet of two Nelson players anticipating a potential tap into an empty net.

Hickey had a weak effort easily saved before Porter was called into action again, forcing a fierce shot around his near post for a corner that was duly cleared.

The half-time whistle brought a close to a pretty dire 45 minutes of football, but what was about to follow was even worse for 49 minutes and 40 seconds of the 50 minutes that would eventually be played after the break.

Linnets did look quicker off the mark and kept Nelson completely at bay, but were creating nothing at all to break the deadlock.

Joey Dunn was forced into an uncharacteristically early substitution, bringing on Mark Houghton for the injured Franny Smith with more than half an hour to go. But even the introduction of the usually silky smooth Houghton did little initially to bring real quality to the game.

River Humphreys was introduced to inject pace at centre back and allow Kyle Armstrong to use his physical presence in midfield.

But the substitution that really changed the game came with 10 minutes to go when Linnets Youth Team graduate Taylor Kennerley was brought on for his first meaningful run-out as a Runcorn player.

His explosive pace on the left wing soon had Nelson chasing their tails and it was Kennerley, who provided the first piece of quality in the game - breaking away on the left to drill in under pressure a pinpoint cross to Kurt Sherlock, who forced his shot just past the near post.

Many in the MLS felt like with that missed opportunityy had gone the last chance of all three points, but there was to be one very, very late twist in an utterly tedious tale!

Nelson had begun time-wasting tactics from the outset of the second half, regularly sitting down to get the physio on the pitch, and it was undoubtedly these antics that led to five minutes of injury time in the first place.

And with seconds of this left, Kurt Sherlock played the ball in deep from the left towards the back post. There was a bizarre feeling of slow motion as the ball worked its way through to the back post where Houghton showed why he is such a highly-rated player.

Not panicking or merely thrashing a shot towards goal, he instead took a touch and rolled the ball across goal for the unmarked Hickey to tap home with practically the last kick of the game.

Nelson's players gave a half-hearted look at the linesman before standing in disbelief at the fact that they had limited Linnets to nothing until the death.

Meanwhile the MLS had erupted into a sea of joy, disbelief and relief!

An unusual goal celebration followed with half of the team going with the goal scorer Hickey to the far corner flag and the other half chasing creator Mark Houghton to the opposite dugout side to celebrate with coaching staff and squad members alike.

A fair assessment would be to say that this was a very poor game, lacking in quality from both sides.

Linnets couldn't project their usual spells of dominance on the game and a draw would probably have been a fair result. But one thing you can never deny about this Runcorn team is its dogged determination and never-say-die attitude.

When others accept and protect a draw, the Linnets will always go for the win. Luckily, the quality came right at the end courtesy of a moment of simple brilliance by Mark Houghton.

Runcorn Linnets: Dean Porter, Kieron Brislen, Tom Hardwick, Kyle Armstrong, Michael White, Michael Ellison (capt), Michael Simpson, Kyle Hamid, Antony Hickey, Kurt Sherlock, Francis Smith. Subs: Mark Houghton, River Humphreys, Taylor Kennerley (not used: Jamie Weeder).

Nelson: Sean Conton-Davis, Waqas Asam, Tom Bradley, Luke Thompson (capt), Jake Lloyd, Nat Taylor, Brad Wicks, Mark Sharples, Adam Nuttall, Ryan Charnley, Will Threlkeld. Subs (not used): Ashley Brierley, Martin Broderick, Alex Nwachukwu, Wayne Morrison, Karl Dorney.

Attendance: 282. Click here to view images of this match

NB. The views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Runcorn Linnets FC or its Board.